2007 Research Highlights
In 2007, significant Hutchinson Center research accomplishments included the following:
Worm study shows antidepressant may lengthen life
A drug used to treat human depression could extend the life span of
adult roundworms by about 30 percent, possibly by mimicking the effects
of caloric restriction, according to a discovery by Dr. Linda Buck and
colleagues Drs. Michael Petrascheck and Xiaolan Ye.
Read more »
Cholera can be controlled with oral vaccines
An international team of researchers led by Dr. Ira Longini
demonstrated that endemic cholera, a potentially fatal disease found in
the world's most impoverished countries, could be effectively
controlled by orally vaccinating half of the affected populations once
every two years for only pennies per dose.
Read more »
WHI data shows cutting fat may reduce ovarian-cancer risk
Dr. Ross Prentice and colleagues analyzed data from the Women's Health
Initiative, the largest study ever devoted to women's health, and found
that a low-fat diet, in addition to reducing the risk of breast and
colorectal cancer, may decrease the risk of ovarian cancer in
postmenopausal women.
Read more »
Two genes linked to disabling form of arthritis
An international team of researchers led by Dr. Lon Cardon discovered
two genes linked to a disabling form of arthritis called ankylosing
spondylitis. The discovery ultimately could help improve diagnostics
and drug discovery for this painful disease.
Read more »
Study confirms human-to-human spread of avian-flu virus
In the first statistical analysis of its kind,
infectious-disease-modeling experts at the Hutchinson Center confirmed
the first human-to-human, rather than bird-to-human, transmission of
the avian influenza virus. In the process, they developed TranStat, a
software application to help first responders more rapidly contain
future infectious-disease outbreaks.
Read more »
Tumor painting revolutionizes fight against cancer
Dr. Jim Olson and colleagues have developed a "tumor paint" that
illuminates cancerous cells so surgeons can see more precisely where a
tumor begins and ends, which could be especially helpful for removing
brain and other tumors. The paint also one day could be used as a
non-invasive screening tool for the early detection of skin, cervical,
esophageal, colon and lung cancers.
Read more »
Cell toxin found to inhibit survival proteins in cancer cells
Dr. David Hockenbery used a modified version of a toxin long used to
control invasive fish in lakes to selectively kill therapy-resistant
cancer cells, paving the way for new drugs that could lower resistance
to cancer therapies and make treatments more effective.
Read more »
Ancient retrovirus sheds light on modern pandemic
Contributing to the emerging field of paleovirology — the study of
ancient viruses — Drs. Michael Emerman and Harmit Malik revealed that
an immune-system gene that successfully protected humans from a
particular virus four million years ago now makes us particularly
vulnerable to HIV, findings that provide a better understanding of this
modern pandemic infection.
Read more »
Simple symptoms may be first screening test for ovarian cancer
Though often called a "silent killer," Dr. Barbara Goff and other
Hutchinson Center researchers found early stage ovarian cancer can be
detected rapidly and cost-effectively by a simple symptom survey.
Read more »
Moderate physical activity critical for reducing chronic-disease risk
Dr. Anne McTiernan and colleagues found direct evidence that moderate
physical activity reduces the risk of chronic disease in men and women
by melting intra-abdominal fat, a hidden risk factor for cancer, heart
disease and diabetes.
Read more »
Early success shows potential of umbilical cord-blood transplants
Dr. Colleen Delaney leads a breakthrough clinical trial using
lab-expanded units of umbilical cord blood in place of a standard
bone-marrow transplant for leukemia patients who can't find a
conventional donor.
Read more »
MRI detects twice as many opposite-breast tumors
Dr. Connie Lehman found that adding magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI)
scans to examinations of women with breast cancer vastly improves
detection of a second cancer in the opposite breast.
Read more »
Obesity increases prostate-cancer mortality risk
A study led by Dr. Alan Kristal showed that obese men who are diagnosed
with prostate cancer have more than two-and-a-half times the risk of
dying from the disease as men of normal weight.
Read more »
Genetic sequence found for rare form of pancreatic cancer
Dr. Sunil Hingorani discovered the specific sequence of genetic changes
that determines the development of either a deadly or a more curable
form of pancreatic cancer, findings that could eventually lead to new
ways to improve treatment and survival.
Read more »
Aspirin reduces esophageal-cancer risk in people with Barrett's esophagus
Drs. Patricia C. Galipeau and Xiaohong Li found that people with the
most-aggressive form of Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition
that can lead to esophageal cancer, may benefit the most from
preventive therapy with aspirin and other nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs.
Read more »
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